Fastening device



Sept. 9, 1952 D. MAcKEY ET AL FASTENING DEVICE' Filed June 50, 1949 Bnventors ckey 5 Angela G.L233ery 1km 2d M2 Gttorneg Patented Sept. 9, 1952 FASTENING DEVICE Donald Mackey, Haddon Heights, and Angelo G. Lazzery, Oaklyn, N. J., assignors to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1949, Serial No. 102,204

Claims. (Cl. 248-27) This invention relates to an improved fastening device, and more particularly to an improved sheet metal fastener for mounting an article in algenerally normal position with respect to a supportingpanel. l The fastening device of our present invention -isparticularly useful in mounting objects such as coil` formson relatively thin, sheet, metal .panels which form the chassis of a radio re- `ceiver. Inorder tosecure the coil form firmly in position onfthe panel, a suitablemounting or fastening device is. required. Inf many cases, the fastening device'must be secured to the panel by additional means `which not only occupies extra space,` but also consumes extra time in the -processof assembly and adds to the cost of manufacture. `The -type of fastener which is particularly suitable asa support `for instru- `ments on thin panels is exemplified by the disclosures in the patents to G.. A. `Tinnerman, 2,244,976, and 2,326,903, dated, respectively, June 10, 1941, and August 17, 1943, wherein the fastener lis inserted within an aperture provided `in Athe panel and securely fastened or locked therein by 4engagingthe walls of the aperture.

Irrespective of the advantages claimed for prior art `fastening devices of this type, difficulties have been` encountered frequently` ,with these fasteners in the( process of `-assembly ofthe radio instruments. l Manyof, the fastening devices will not adjust themselves to panels havingvrelatively ,small variations in thickness and still effect a `rigid support. In many installations, the assembly of parts is carried out more efficiently and d expeditiously by mounting the fastener on the instrument to be supported prior to its assembly onthe panel support. This process of assembly ,is impossible with many of `the prior art fasteners. -ln some cases, this involves anadditional manual step in the assembly, which otherwise could be more economically and efciently performed mechanically. d

' The principal object of our present invention `is to overcome theabove, as well as other, disadvantagesof prior art` fastening devices useful in mounting cylindrical objects on relatively thin panel supports. v,

It is also `an object 1of our present invention `to provide a fastening device which will have locking engagement with the wall of an aperture inl-a panel vsupport and which will receive an article for mounting in a normal position with respect to the panel support.

` VIt is another object Vof our gpresent invention .tov provide a fastening device which will readily accommodate itself to apertured .supports of different thicknesses while at the Sametime occupying a minimum overall area on the panel support and furthermore holding the article to be supported in a rigid position on its support and `preventing its withdrawal therefrom.`

Still another object of our present invention is to provide a fastening device which is suitable for automatic assembly of the article to be supported prior to mounting of the members on the supporting panel.

Another object of our present invention is to provide an improved fastening device which is simple and easy to construct, one which can be produced at a minimum of cost, and one which d can be quickly and easily assembled either manually` or automatically.

In accordance with our present invention, the

` fastening device comprises a body of generally cylindrical or other suitable shape adapted to be inserted within an aperture of corresponding shape in a panel support. The body comprises `a cup-like base portion and circumferentially spaced extensions on the open .end of the base portion. The circumferentially spaced extensions are providedV with spaced, outwardly extending members for engaging opposite surfaces of the panel support, thereby to lock the fastener within the support aperture. A longitudinal, outwardly extending rib is providedfon the fastener, extending substantiallyV from the base portion to the free end of one of the extensions.

for engagement with a detent in the Wall of the support aperture, the purpose of this rib being to orient the instrument to be supported and to prevent rotation of the fastener in the support aperture. Inwardly extending barbs are provided on an edge of the extensions, the barbs being adapted to pierce the cylindrical coil form to thereby prevent rotation of the coil form in the fastener as Well as to prevent removal thererom.

The novel features of our invention, as well asadditional objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following detailed descriptionwhen read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

1 Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of fastener in accordance with our present invention,

Figure 2.is a side elevation view of the fastener shown in Figure 1, and I Figure 3 is a side view, in section, taken through the center of a fastening device in accordance with our present invention, and showing avariable inductance coil mounted therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, there is shown a fastening device comprising a hollow body I which has been illustrated as of generally cylindrical shape but which may be of any other suitable shape in cross section. The body I is preferably constructed of relatively thin sheet metal and has a cup-like base portion 3 and a plurality of circumferentially distributed, spaced,

finger-like members -5 extending from the openV end of the base portion.

Each of the finger-like members 5 terminates in part in a hanged end portion '1, the `flange being integral with and extending outwardly from substantially one half the width of its linger-like member at the free end thereof. The remaining portion of the free end is curved outwardly to provide a resilient tongue-like or shoulder portion 9 the upper edge II of which is gradually inclined away from the anged end portion 1.

' The fastening device I is dimensioned for insertionin an aperture I2 of corresponding shape in avpanel support I3 so that the flanged end portions 'I and the inclined edges II will engage opposite surfaces of the panel support i3 for securely holding the fastener within the panel aperture and preventing easy removal therefrom. inasmuch as the tongue-like portionsl 9 are resilient, when the fastener is inserted into the panel opening I2, the tongue-like portions 9 will be compressed to the extent necessary to insert the fastener I in the opening until the flanged end portions 'I engage the outer surface of the panel support I3 whereupon the tongue-like portions il; will automatically spring outwardly to engage the opposite side of the panel support I3 and lock the fastener I within the panel aperture I2. The fastener I is readily adjustable t Avarious thicknesses of panel supports by reason support I3 and preventing rocking movementV of the fastener within the aperture of the panel support.

The fastening .device I is also provided with an'foutwardly extending rib I5 disposed longitudinally on oner ofthe iinger-likemembers and extending substantially from the flanged end portion 'I to the bottom of the base portion 3. The wall of the aperture I2 is provided with a cut-out portion for receiving the outwardly extending rib I5 thereby to orient the article to be supported with respect to the panel support I3, as well as to prevent rotation of the fastener within the aperture.

Internal teeth or barbs I'I'are also provided on the finger-like members 5, one or more adjacent the flanged, free end of the longitudinal edge of each of the lnger-like members 5. The barbs are bent inwardly so that the point of each barb extends downwardly toward the cup-like base portion 3 into engagement with' acol form or the like I9. Whenthe cylindrical form I9, which may be considered asY the article to vbe supported,

'and which generally ycomprises a penetratable 'materiaL is inserted within the fastening device I', the barbs Il'will penetrate and grip the'cylindrical form and thereby resist removal of the form from the fastener.

Many devices, like the variable indue-tance coil 26 on the form I@ shown' in Figure 3 of t -e drawing, have -a core element 2! which is axially 4 adjustable to vary the inductance thereof in well known manner. A screw or other threaded member 23 is usually mounted on the coil form extending axially beyond an end thereof and is connected to the core element 2| in a suitable mannerv for effecting adjustment thereof. In order to provide for the threaded adjusting member 23 toA extend through the panel and hence through the fastener I, an aperture 25 is provided in the bottom of the cup-like base portion 3. On the other hand, the cup-like base portion may also be provided with a thread impression or other similar thread engaging means such as that disclosed in the above-identified Patent Number 2,326,903. In addition thereto, while the fastening device described herein may be constructed with as few as two finger-like members 5, we have found that at least three-fingerlike members should be provided in order to effect stability and firmly hold the article to be supported in a manner to prevent movement of the article away from its normal Vposition relative to the panel support. Y v

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent to those persons skilled'in the art that we have provided an improved fastening device that may be inserted into anA opening in a thin- 'walled panel support and which will automatically lock itself into self-sustaining position thereon. Our improved fastening device is readily adaptable to production line assembly operations, particularlythose in which it is required that the fastener be mounted on the instrument to be supported prior to attachment to the panel support. In addition thereto, our improved fastener is more suitable for automatic assembly operations than other fasteners of its kind because it has a minimum of openings and Yprojecting parts which ordinarily cause entanglement. Because of this, the fasteners of our present invention may be fed automatically from a hopper without having been prealigned.

It will also be recognized by lthose persons skilled in the art that other modificationsand changes apart from the single, preferredv embodiment of our invention described herein are possible within the spirit of our invention. Therefore, we desire that the particular form of our as illustrative and not as limiting.

What is claimed-is:

l. A fastening device for attaching an article to a support having an opening therein and being insertable into said opening, said device comprising a hollow body having a, base provided with an aperture, and a plurality of circumferentially distributed, spaced, finger-like members extending from 'said base, each of said finger-like members terminating in part in an outwardly extending flange adapted to engage one surface of said support and in part in an outwardly directed tongue element Vadjacent to and inclined away from said flange and adapted to engage the opposite surface of said support, said anges and said tongue elements cooperating with each other to secure said device to said support.

2.'A fastening device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the free end of said tongue element slopes gradually away from said outwardly extending ange.

3. A fastening'device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said outwardly extending flange is disposed along substantiallyone half the width ofitsl finger-like member at the free end thereof, the remainder of the width of each said finger- 5 like member gradually sloping away from said fiange.

4. A fastening device as set forth in claim 1 and wherein at least one inwardly extending barb is provided on the longitudinal edge of each of said linger-like members adjacent its said flange.

5. A fastening device as set forth in claim 1 and wherein at least one of said finger-like members is provided with an outwardly extending, longitudinally disposed rib adapted to engage a detent in the Wall of said support opening for preventing rotation of said fastening device with respect to said support.

DONALD MACKEY. ANGELO G. LAZZERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date 1,737,375 King Nov. 26, 1929 1,987,035 Tideman Jan. 28, 1935 2,230,923 Barry Feb. 4, 1941 2,326,903 Tinnerman Aug. 17, 1943 2,356,934 Ketcham Aug. 29, 1944 2,468,333 Johnson Apr. 26, 1949 

